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News: Rungia mastersii was rediscovered in Assam’s Jatinga Hills after nearly 180 years, having not been seen anywhere during this period.
About Rungia mastersii
- Rungia mastersii is a rare shrubby herb endemic to Assam.
- Family: It belongs to the Acanthaceae family.
- Genus: It belongs to the Rungia genus, which has 88 accepted species worldwide.
- Habitat: It grows in moist, shaded rock crevices beside streams in moist forests at 900–1,250 m elevation.
- Distribution: The species is known from Jatinga Hills in Dima Hasao district, Assam.
- It was first collected in 1845 from an unidentified location along the Sundar River.
- Key Features:
- Plant size: It is a shrubby herb that grows 60–110 cm tall.
- Flowers: It has pale green to whitish flowers with delicate purple streaks.
- Concentration: The known plants occur in one highly concentrated location.
- Threats: Its highly concentrated population is vulnerable to landslides and forest fires, requiring active monitoring, habitat protection and intensive surveys.
- Conservation Status: The species is currently “not evaluated” under IUCN Red List criteria.
